


The Reunion

by Cleo the Muse (cleothemuse)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, M/M, School Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 08:34:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3685491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleothemuse/pseuds/Cleo%20the%20Muse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was the Herbert Hoover High School Class of 2005 ten year reunion, and Kirsten Caldwell-Sanderson, like, <em>totally</em> knew the guy across the dance floor was her high school ex Bucky Barnes. She knew that pair of perfectly pouty lips like, well, not quite as well as Tom's, but pretty close. In so many ways, Bucky was The One Who Got Away, but what were high school reunions for, if not for reminiscing over old romances?</p><p>Past Bucky/OFC, current hetero ships between OCs, and nasty past high school revenge rumors of Bucky/Steve (which may or may not actually have been/still be a thing; I leave that up to you and your slash goggles.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Holy crapola... I'm not a big fan of high school AUs, modern-era AUs, non-powered AUs, or main character/OC ships (present or past), but I somehow managed to WRITE THEM ALL. Why, brain... why?!
> 
> *checks clock* Oh, 4am... _that's_ why...

"Bucky? Oh my god, that's Bucky Barnes!" Kirsten Caldwell-Sanderson couldn't quite help the little squeal of excitement in her voice as she tugged Sarah-Beth Nelson across the ballroom floor with her. The lighting was dim but the squarish flashes reflecting off the disco ball had lit up his face just enough, and Kirsten knew that pair of perfectly pouty lips like, well, not quite as well as Tom's, but pretty close. In so many ways, Bucky was The One Who Got Away, but what were high school reunions for, if not for reminiscing over old romances? Besides, Sarah-Beth was still single, so why not?

"No way, Bucky was always too GQ for the grunge-rock hair that guy's got going!" Sarah-Beth exclaimed, clomping gamely along on her too-high heels. They did great things for her legs, but not so much after three glasses of champagne. "That guy's like... Kurt Cobain meets Jimmy Dean or something. And who's he talking to, anyway?"

Bucky—the closer she got, the more Kirsten was certain it was him—was engaged in conversation with a guy whose ridiculous shoulders could _only_ have belonged to star quarterback Patrick Ferguson, but she thought she'd seen Pat over by the refreshment stand, chatting up Marcia Holfield. Rumor had it Marcia had just divorced husband number three and was on the prowl for number four, so maybe Pat had been auditioning for the part?

"It's not Pat Ferguson," Kirsten decided, "but no one else had serious shoulder action like that. Maybe Nathan Ramsey? He was always a little taller than Bucky."

"No, I saw Nate when I was talking to Linda Smithers: he's, uh, embraced impending fatherhood in a _big_ way." Sarah-Beth hiccuped, stumbling slightly before righting herself by clinging hard to Kirsten's arm. " _That_ guy's got a shoulder-to-waist ratio like _whoa!_ "

"Hey, Bucky!" Kirsten called again, shouting to be heard over the DJ's playlist of hits from the late '90s and early 2000s. "Bucky Barnes!"

Bucky turned to look at her and, yeah: grunge-rock hair or not, that was _definitely_ James Buchanan Barnes looking back at her. His buddy also turned to look, but Kirsten didn't recognize him in the slightest, so he must not have gone to Hoover High: she'd _totally_ have remembered a blond hunk like that. He was probably someone's husband dragged out for the party, then ditched by his wife while she gossiped with old friends. Kirsten desperately hoped he wasn't married to Kerry Aster or Jennifer Michaels, because that would just be _the worst_. Not that Tom wasn't a catch or anything, but this guy? Total hottie, like _underwear-model_ levels.

"Hey there," Bucky greeted easily, smooth and charming as ever. "Kirsten Caldwell... it _has_ been a while, hasn't it?"

"Ten years!" she exclaimed. "And it's Caldwell-Sanderson, now; I married Tom, like, six years ago. So... you remember Sarah-Beth Nelson? You were always trying to set her up with that scrawny little weirdo, Steve... something."

"Steve Rogers? Oh, yeah, him," Bucky agreed, luscious lips quirking. "Can't really blame a guy for trying to hook up his best pal with his _girlfriend's_ best friend."

Kirsten and Sarah-Beth giggled. "Yeah, but he was so tiny... and _awkward!_ " Sarah-Beth exclaimed. "I mean, that one time he tried to ask me to dance at homecoming? He tripped over his own feet on his way over! Thank _god_ Mark Madison was right there and danced with me 'til Steve got the hint."

"And he was always following you around," Kirsten sighed. "It was _totally_ weird."

Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. "What was _weird_ was my girlfriend demanding I choose between spending time with her or with the guy I'd been best friends with since we were in _diapers_."

Kirsten pouted, not liking the reminder that _Bucky_ had dumped _her_ instead of the skinny loser. Still, she'd gotten her revenge back then by spreading rumors Bucky and Steve were gay for one another, so whatever. "Yeah, well, water under the bridge, Buck... like, ancient history. Whatever happened to him after high school, anyway?"

"Well," drawled the blond hunk who'd been silent up to that point, "I joined the Army."

**Author's Note:**

> Please do not ever pull a Sarah-Beth Nelson and conflate _James_ Dean with _Jimmy_ Dean: one was a suave actor who lived fast and died young, and the other is more famous for selling breakfast food than singing country music. If you do and I hear of it, I will mock you forever.
> 
> *channels Pinkie Pie*
> 
> FOREVER.


End file.
